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f^e  £i6rar£  of 

(princeton  £0eofogtcaf  ^Setntnarg 

BT  180  .P6  P6  1872~ 
Plumer,  William  S.  1802- 

1880. 
The  promises  of  God 


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THE 


Promises  of  God; 


NATURE  AND  PROPERTIES, 
VARIETY  AND  VALUE. 


BY 

Rev.  WILLIAM  S.VlUMER,  D.D. 


NEW  YORK: 

Board  of  Publication  Reformed  Church  in  America, 

34   VESEY   STREET. 

1872. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1872,  Dy 

William  Ferris,  for  Board  op  Publication 

Reformed  Church  in  America, 

In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington, 

D.  C. 


Edward  0.  Jenkins, 

PRINTER  AND  STEREOTYPER, 

20  North  William  Street,  N.  Y. 


THE  PROMISES  OF   GOD. 


Tn  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  a  promise 
sometimes  means  an  engagement  on 
God's  part,  to  do  some  good  or  to 
confer  some  benefit.  This  is  the 
meaning  of  the  term  in  the  following 
passages  : 

2d  Chronicles  1:9.  "  Now,  O  Lord 
God,  let  thy  promise  unto  David,  my 
father,  be  established;  for  thou  hast 
made  me  king  over  a  people  like  the 
dust  of  the  earth  in  multitude." 

Ps.  yy  :  8.  "  Is  his  mercy  clean  gone 
forever?  Doth  his  promise  fail  for- 
evermore  ?" 


4  PROMISES  OF   GOD. 

Act  2  :  33.  "  Therefore,  being  by  the 
right  hand  of  God  exalted,  and  hav- 
ing received  of  the  Father  the  prom- 
ise of  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  hath  shed 
forth  this  which  ye  now  see  and 
hear." 

Rom.  4 :  20.  "  He  staggered  not  at 
the  promise  of  God  through  unbelief, 
but  was  strong  in  faith,"  etc. 

1  Tim.  4:8.  "  Godliness  is  profita- 
ble unto  all  things,  having  promise  of 
the  life  that  now  is  and  of  that  which 
is  to  come." 

2  Pet.  3:9."  The  Lord  is  not  slack 
concerning  his  promise,  as  some  men 
count  slackness ;" — and  in  many  other 
places. 

Sometimes  promise  refers  to  the 
thing  promised,  the  performance  of 
the     engagement     made.      This     is 


PROMISES   OF   GOD.  5 

doubtless  the  meaning  of  the  word 
in  Luke  24  :  49.  "  And  behold  I  send 
the  promise  of  my  Father  upon  you, 
but  tarry  ye  in  the  city  of  Jerusalem 
until  ye  be  endued  with  power  from 
on  high."  Acts  7:  17.  "  But  when  the 
time  of  the  promise  drew  nigh  which 
God  had  sworn  to  Abraham,  the  peo- 
ple grew  and  multiplied  in  Egypt." 
Gal.  3 :  14.  "  That  the  blessing  of 
Abraham  might  come  on  the  Gentiles 
through  Jesus  Christ  that  we  might 
receive  the  promise  of  the  spirit 
through  faith."  Heb.  6:15.  "  And 
so,  after  he  had  patiently  endured  he 
obtained  the  promise  ;" — and  in  other 
places. 

Nor  is  it  always  possible  to  deter- 
mine with  certainty  which  of  these 
meanings  belongs  to  the  word  prom- 


6  PROMISES   OF  GOD. 

ise,  because  both  meanings  are  Scrip- 
tural, and  because  we  find  places 
where  either  meaning  makes  good 
sense,  agrees  with  history  and  with 
the  context.  Thus  in  Heb.  1 1  :  33. 
"  Who,  through  faith,  subdued  king- 
doms, wrought  righteousness,  obtain- 
ed promises,"  etc.  Some  insist  that 
the  meaning  here  is  that  the  worthies 
of  old  obtained  the  fulfillment  of 
God's  promises  to  them.  This  makes 
good  sense,  agrees  with  the  course  of 
Paul's  argument,  is  historically  veri- 
fied in  the  birth  of  Isaac,  in  David's 
full  possession  of  the  throne  of  Israel, 
and  in  many  other  events,  and  is  sup- 
ported by  the  judgment  of  many  able 
scholars  and  respectable  expositors,  as 
Boehme,  Owen,  De  Wette,  Diodati, 
Bloomfield,  the   Dutch  Annotations, 


PROMISES   OF   GOD.  7 

Guyse,  Scott,  Lindsey,  Mott,  etc. 
Others  seem  firmly  persuaded,  that 
the  meaning-  is  that  these  ancient 
worthies  obtained  engagements  from 
God  in  promises  which  he  made  to 
such  men  as  Caleb,  Joshua,  Phineas 
and  David,  and  refer  to  Num.  14:  24, 
30,  and  25:10-13;  2  Sam.  7:12-15; 
Ps.  106:  30,  31.  This  mode  of  ex- 
plaining the  phrase  has  been  approv- 
ed by  Chrysostom,  Theodoret,  Ben- 
gel,  Bleek,  Doddridge,  Macknight, 
Clarke,  Ebrard,  and  others.  In  the 
Study  Bible  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  Da- 
vies,  is  a  blank  note  stating  that  "  of 
all  the  achievements  of  faith,  none  is 
more  sublime  than  this  of  obtaining 
promises."  This  exposition  agrees 
with  the  argument  Paul  is  conduct- 
ing, and   has   this  in  its   favor  that 


8  PROMISES  OF  GOD. 

while  every  believer  on  earth  obtains 
the  fulfillment  of  many  promises,  even 
the  greatest  God  has  ever  made,  it  is 
not  true  that  many  individuals  have 
obtained  promises  in  the  sense  here 
admitted.  So  pleasing  and  coincident 
with  the  tenor  of  Scripture  are  both 
of  these  modes  of  exposition,  and 
such  is  the  weight  of  authority  for 
each,  that  some  expositors  admit  both. 
And,  in  fact,  it  is  true  that,  to  some, 
God  made  the  promise  and  granted 
the  fulfillment  of  it  in  their  own  per- 
sons and  during  their  natural  lives. 

When  man  broke  covenant  with 
God  by  sinning  against  him,  the 
whole  heavens  grew  black,  not  a  ray 
of  hope  reached  him,  not  a  ray  from 
the  sun  of  righteousness  appeared. 
The  darkness  was  terrible,  until  at 


PROMISES  OF  GOD.  9 

length  God  said,  "  The  seed  of  the 
woman  shall  bruise  the  serpent's 
head."  This  was  the  star  of  hope. 
Soon  other  promises  were  given,  and 
when  the  canon  of  the  Scripture  was 
closed,  the  whole  heavens  were  be- 
spangled with  these  lights  of  God's 
word  to  cheer  and  guide  pilgrims 
homeward.  So  that  now  no  good 
man  desires  any  more  promises  than 
are  found  in  God's  word.  All  that 
faith  desires  is  the  fulfillment  of  those 
already  made,  and  this  it  unwaver- 
ingly expects.  Let  us  take  up  the 
matter  in  order. 

I.  God's  promises  are  either  ex- 
pressed or  implied.  The  following 
are  samples  of  express  promises : 
"  Delight  thyself  in  the  Lord,  and  he 
shall  give  thee  the  desires  of  thine 


10  PROMISES   OF  GOD. 

heart ;"  "  If  any  man  keep  my  saying, 
he  shall  never  see  death  ; "  "  Who- 
soever shall  call  upon  the  name  of 
the  Lord,  shall  be  saved ;"  Ps.  37:4; 
John  8  :  51  ;  Rom.  10:  13. 

A  promise  is  implied  in  the  threat- 
ening of  Scripture.  Thus,  when  we 
are  told,  "  God  shall  laugh  at  the 
wicked,"  it  is  clearly  implied  that  he 
will  pity  and  care  for  all  the  right- 
eous. Again,  "  In  the  hand  of  the 
Lord  there  is  a  cup,  and  the  wine  is 
red;  it  is  full  of  mixture,  and  he 
poureth  out  of  the  same  ;  but  the 
dregs  thereof,  all  the  wicked  of  the 
earth  shall  wring  them  out  and  drink 
them."  Here  is  an  implied  promise 
that  none  of  the  righteous  shall  ever 
drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God. 
So  when  it  is  said,  "  Wo  unto  you  that 


PROMISES   OF   GOD.  II 

are  rich !  for  ye  have  received  your 
consolation  ;"  there  is  an  implied  pro- 
mise that  all  those  humble,  heavenly- 
minded  souls,  who  thank  God  for  a 
portion  in  the  world,  but  who  refuse 
to  take  the  world  for  a  portion,  shall 
be  blessed  with  unspeakable  consola- 
tions hereafter.  "  The  wicked  plot- 
teth  against  the  just  and  gnasheth 
upon  him  with  his  teeth.  The  Lord 
shall  laugh  at  him,"  etc.  Ps.  37  :  12, 
13;  Luke  6:24;  Ps.  75:8.  In  like 
manner,  all  the  examples  of  mercy 
shown  to  good  men,  as  recorded  in 
Scripture,  imply  an  engagement,  on 
God's  part,  to  grant  like  mercies  to 
his  people  in  all  time  to  come. 

II.  God's  promises  are  either  uni- 
versal or  particular :  Universal  prom- 
ises embrace  the  whole  race  of  man. 


12  PROMISES  OF   GOD. 

They  are  such  as  God  made  to  Noah 
as  the  new  father  of  his  race.  These 
are  some  of  them  :  "  While  the  earth 
remaineth,  seed-time  and  harvest,  and 
cold  and  heat,  and  summer  and  win- 
ter, and  night  and  day,  shall  not 
cease ;"  "  The  fear  of  you,  and  the 
dread  of  you  shall  be  upon  every 
beast  of  the  earth,  and  upon  every 
fowl  of  the  air;"  "Neither  shall  all 
flesh  be  cut  off  any  more  by  the  wa- 
ters of  a  flood ;  neither  shall  there 
any  more  be  a  flood  to  destroy  the 
earth  ;"  Gen.  8  :  22  ;  9:2,  11. 

Then  we  have  promises  to  particu- 
lar persons  or  classes  of  -persons,  as 
prisoners,  strangers,  the  poor,  the  op- 
pressed, the  widow,  the  fatherless, 
the  believer,  the  penitent,  the  meek, 
the  humble,  the  diligent,  the  upright, 


PROMISES   OF   GOD.  1 3 

the  prudent,  the  patient,  the  slander- 
ed, the  reviled,  the  forgiving,  the 
peacemaker,  the  charitable,  the  per- 
severing. Time  would  fail  us  to  re- 
hearse all  the  good  things  the  Lord 
has  said  to  particular  classes  of  per- 
sons. Some  of  them  will  be  set  forth 
hereafter. 

III.  God's  promises  are,  as  to  the 
matter  of  them,  either  general  or  spe- 
cial. General  promises  are  such  as 
these :  "  Light  is  sown  for  the  right- 
eous, and  gladness  for  the  upright  in 
heart;"  "Say  ye  to  the  righteous, 
that  it  shall  be  well  with  him :  for 
they  shall  eat  the  fruit  of  their  do- 
ings ;"  "  I  will  receive  you,  and  will 
be  a  Father  unto  you,  and  ye  shall  be 
my  sons  and  daughters  ;"  Ps.  97 :  11 ; 
Isa.  3  :  10  ;  2  Cor.  6  :  17,  18.     The  ful- 


14  PROMISES   OF  GOD. 

filling  of  either  of  these  promises  ne- 
cessarily brings  with  it  all  real  good, 
corporeal  and  spiritual,  temporal  and 
eternal.  Other  promises  are  special, 
descending  to  the  varied  wants  and 
states  of  good  men,  such  as,  "  A  little 
that  a  righteous  man  hath,  is  better 
than  the  riches  of  many  wicked ;" 
"  The  rod  of  the  wicked  shall  not  rest 
upon  the  lot  of  the  righteous;"  "  My 
grace  is  sufficient  for  thee ;"  Ps.  37 : 
16;  125:3;  2  Cor.  12:9.  In  still 
other  cases,  we  have  general  and 
special  promises  wondrously  united 
in  the  same  Scripture,  as :  "  The  Lord 
God  is  a  sun  and  shield :  the  Lord 
will  give  grace  and  glory  :  no  good 
thing  will  he  withhold  from  them 
that  walk  uprightly."  "  He  shall 
dwell  on  high :  his  place  of  defence 


PROMISES   OF  GOD.  1 5 

shall  be  the  munitions  of  rocks : 
bread  shall  be  given  him  ;  his  waters 
shall  be  sure."  "  He  that  spared  not 
his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up 
for  us  all,  how  shall  he  not  with  him 
also  freely  give  us  all  things?"  Ps. 
84 :  1 1  ;  Isa.  33  :  16 ;  Rom.  8  :  32. 

IV.  God's  promises  are  immutable 
and  perpetual.  In  their  true  intent 
and  spirit,  they  are  irrepealable.  Je- 
hovah never  has  revoked  any  of 
them  made  to  the  race  of  man,  or  to 
his  church  and  people.  The  first 
gospel  promise,  "  The  seed  of  the 
woman  shall  bruise  the  serpent's 
head"— is  in  as  regular  a  course  of 
fulfillment  now  as  on  the  day  of  Pen- 
tecost. God's  promises  are  not  ful- 
filled at  certain  periods  only ;  but 
they  stand  from  age  to  age.     Thus 


16  PROMISES  OF  GOD. 

the  promise  of  a  rich  blessing  on 
children,  who  honor  their  parents, 
and  "  show  piety  at  home,"  is  just  as 
fixed  and  unalterable  as  the  fifth 
commandment.  It  is  so  abundantly 
and  manifestly  in  force  that  I  have 
never  seen  a  serious  person  who  con- 
tended that  he  ever  knew  a  man  to 
be  a  loser,  in  the  long  run,  by  respect 
and  kindness  to  a  parent.  In  like 
manner,  all  the  beatitudes  of  the 
Sermon  on  the  Mount  are,  and  to 
the  end  of  time  will  be,  in  force. 
Like  the  gifts  and  calling  of  God,  his 
promises  are  "  without  repentance." 
V.  The  promises  of  God  are  affir- 
mative, not  negative  ;  positive,  not  un- 
certain ;  absolute,  not  accompanied 
with  hesitancy.  So  the  apostle, 
speaking  of  our   Lord,  says :    "  All 


PROMISES   OF  GOD.  1 7 

the  promises  of  God  in  him  are  Yea, 
and  in  him  Amen,  unto  the  glory  of 
God  by  us."  2  Cor.  1 :  20.  "  For 
ever,  O  Lord,  thy  word  is  settled  in 
heaven.  Thy  faithfulness  is  unto  all 
generations:  thou  hast  established 
the  earth,  and  it  abideth.  They  con- 
tinue this  day  according  to  thine  or- 
dinances." Ps.  119:89-91.  There 
is  no  cause  of  doubt  concerning  the 
promises. 

VI.  The  promises  of  God  are  all 
true,  not  fictitious  ;  all  faithful,  not 
false.  "  Not  one  jot  or  tittle"  of  them 
can  fail.  It  is  only  despondency  or 
unbelief  that  ever  cries  out,  "  Doth 
his  promise  fail  for  evermore  ?"  Ps. 
J7  :  8.  Faith  and  Scripture  say  :  "  Thy 
counsels  of  old  are  faithfulness  and 
truth."      Isa.  25:1.      "  Thy  faithful- 


1 8  PROMISES  OF   GOD. 

ness  reacheth  unto  the  clouds."  Ps. 
36 :  5.  "  God  is  faithful  by  whom  ye 
were  called  unto  the  fellowship  of 
his  Son."  1  Cor.  1:9.  So  remark- 
able are  the  truth  and  fidelity  of 
God  to  all  his  engagements,  that,  at 
the  dedication  of  the  temple,  Sol- 
omon felt  bound  to  say  before  all 
Israel  and  the  world,  "  Blessed  be 
the  Lord,  that  hath  given  rest  unto 
his  people  Israel,  according  to  all 
that  he  promised :  there  hath  not 
failed  one  word  of  all  his  good  prom- 
ise, which  he  promised  by  the  hand 
of  Moses  his  servant."  1  Kings  8 :  56. 
"  Faithful  is  he  that  calleth  you."  1 
Thess.  5  :  24. 

VII.  Sometimes  the  question  is 
raised,  are  the  promises  of  God  con- 
ditional,  or  are   they   unconditional? 


PROMISES   OF   GOD.  1 9 

Occasionally  there  have  been  rash 
and  untrue  things  said  on  this  point. 
Persons,  who  were  not  well  informed, 
have  spoken  unadvisedly  and  unhap- 
pily. Perhaps  no  sensible  man,  who 
reveres  the  Scriptures,  will  deny  that 
the  promises  of  God  respecting 
Christ's  incarnation,  death,  resurrec- 
tion and  second  coming,  are  all,  in 
every  ordinary  sense  of  the  word, 
unconditional.  Not  one  of  them  was 
limited  by  any  terms  whatever. 

Other  promises  of  God  are  condition- 
al, but  let  no  one  mistake  this  lan- 
guage. There  are  two  distinct  kinds 
of  condition.  One  is  a  condition  meri- 
torious. If  any  such  condition  were 
now  connected  with  the  promises  of 
God  to  us,  they  could  be  of  no  avail ; 
for  we  have  and  can  have  no  merits 


20  PROMISES   OF   GOD. 

of  our  own.  We  "  have  all  sinned 
and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God." 
We  deserve  wrath,  not  pity.  The 
only  meritorious  condition  concern- 
ing man's  salvation,  was  fulfilled  in 
the  obedience  and  sufferings  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  But  there  are 
conditions  of  another  kind,  not  meri- 
torious, yet  indispensable.  Faith  is 
a  standing  condition  of  salvation. 
This  is  called  a  condition  sine  qua 
non,  that  is,  a  condition  without  which 
there  is  no  salvation.  The  same  may 
be  truly  said  of  repentance.  So  also 
perseverance  in  holiness  is  an  essen- 
tial condition  of  salvation.  No  man 
can  prove,  and  no  good  man  ought 
to  desire  to  prove  that  the  unaccept- 
ed and  unapplied  righteousness  of 
Jesus   Christ   can   save  any  person. 


PROMISES   OF   GOD.  21 

A  rejected  Jesus  is  a  stone  of  stum- 
bling, not  a  rock  of  salvation.  We 
must  receive  the  Lord  Christ  by  faith 
or  miserably  perish. 

But  this  kind  of  condition  ought 
to  offend  no  man ;  I  dare  say  it  does 
offend  no  humble  man.  Has  the 
starving  beggar  any  right  to  find 
fault  because  he  must  receive  and  eat 
the  food  offered  him  in  kindness,  or 
die  a  miserable  death  ?  It  is  a  con- 
dition of  the  continuance  of  natural 
life  that  men  breathe  the  air.  If 
they  refuse  to  do  that,  they  must 
soon  give  up  the  ghost.  So  it  is  a 
condition  of  salvation  that  men  re- 
ceive Christ  and  rest  on  Him  alone. 

VIII.  The  promises  of  God  are 
neither  few  nor  small,  but  many  and 
very  large.     The  apostle  of  the  cir- 


22  PROMISES   OF   GOD. 

cumcision  says,  they  are  "  exceeding 
great,"  literally  the  greatest ;  2  Pet. 
1  : 4.  They  include  this  life  and  the 
next.  They  reach  from  eternity  to 
eternity.  They  suit  all  cases.  They 
meet  all  emergencies.  No  man,  who 
believes  in  Jesus  and  hates  sin,  needs 
any  greater  promises  than  God  has 
already  given,  It  is  common  with 
good  men  to  wish  that  they  had  a 
firmer  and  stronger  faith  ;  but  what 
intelligent  child  of  God  ever  express- 
ed a  wish  that  God  had  promised 
more  than  he  has  already  and  gra- 
ciously engaged  to  do  ? 

IX.  God's  promises  are  consolatory. 
Peter  calls  them  "  precious."  David 
says,  "  How  sweet  are  thy  words 
unto  my  taste,  yea,  sweeter  than  hon- 
ey to  my  mouth  ;"  Ps.  119:  103.     Per- 


PROMISES   OF  GOD.  23 

haps  there  is  not  a  promise  in  God's 
word,  which  has  not  been  a  staff  to 
some,  probably  to  many  pilgrims. 
Now  God's  promises  were  intended 
to  console  his  people ;  so  we  are  ex- 
pressly told  :  "  God,  willing  more 
abundantly  to  show  unto  the  heirs  of 
promise  the  immutability  of  his  coun- 
sel, confirmed  it  by  an  oath  :  that,  by 
two  immutable  things,  in  which  it 
was  impossible  for  God  to  lie,  we 
might  have  a  strong  consolation,  who 
have  fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  upon 
the  hope  set  before  us."  Heb.  6  :  17, 
18.  God  cannot  break  his  word  ;  He 
cannot  violate  his  oath.  Our  joy  may 
abound. 

X.  All  the  promises  of  God  are  the 
fruit  of  his  free  grace.  They  were 
not  obtained  by  our  doings  nor   by 


24  PROMISES   OF   GOD. 

our  sufferings.  One  apostle  says,  they 
"  are  given  unto  us,"  2  Pet.  1  :  4.  An- 
other says,  "  The  scripture  hath  con- 
cluded all  under  sin,  that  the  promise, 
by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  might  be 
given  to  them  that  believe,"  Gal.  3  : 
22. 

This  property  of  the  promises  is 
important  in  many  ways  ; — important 
to  the  glory  of  divine  grace ; — im- 
portant to  the  comfort  of  humble 
Christians.  For,  if  the  promises  had 
been  obtained  by  money  or  price,  by 
human  merits  or  sufferings,  by  our 
own  power  or  holiness,  we  should 
have  had  good  ground  of  constant 
suspicion  that  we  must  do  some- 
thing more  to  secure  the  fulfillment 
of  them.  But  they  were  all  made 
most  freely,    irrevocably,  and    in    a 


PROMISES   OF   GOD.  25 

way  wholly  sovereign.  Perhaps 
there  is  nothing  in  the  promises, 
which,  to  the  reflecting  mind,  more 
endears  them  than  the  fact  that  they 
are  wholly  gracious.  They  all  spring, 
as  did  creation  itself,  from  love, — love 
infinite  and  eternal ;  rather,  as  the 
whole  plan  of  redemption,  from  love 
infinite,  eternal,  unaccountable,  un- 
paralleled. Those  are  wonderful 
words  of  God  by  the  weeping  proph- 
et:  "I  have  loved  thee  with  an  ever- 
lasting love  :  therefore,  with  loving 
kindness  have  I  drawn  thee,"  Jer.  31  : 

3. 

XI.  Another  charm  about  the  prom- 
ises is  that  they  are  plain  and  easily 
understood.  The  doctrines  of  Scrip- 
ture are  often  mysterious.  Proph- 
ecies,   especially    those     unfulfilled, 


26  PROMISES   OF   GOD. 

are  frequently  quite  beyond  our  pow- 
er to  interpret.  But,  if  the  promises 
are  mysterious,  it  is  chiefly  because 
of  the  wondrous  grace  from  which 
they  spring,  and  from  the  immeasur- 
able largeness  of  the  blessings,  which 
they  convey.  This  plainness  of  the 
promises  is  of  great  importance  to 
the  learned  and  the  unlearned  Chris- 
tian. During  the  last  four  years  of 
his  life,  Dr.  Isaac  Watts  was  full  of 
bodily  infirmities.  As  his  end  ap- 
proached he  was  very  feeble.  His 
biographer  say s :  "  When  he  was 
almost  worn  out  by  his  infirmities,  he 
observed,  in  conversation  with  a 
friend,  that  he  remembered  an  aged 
minister  used  to  say,  that  the  most 
learned  and  knowing  Christians,  when 
they  come  to  die,  have  only  the  same 


PROMISES   OF  GOD.  27 

plain  promises  of  the  gospel  for  their 
support,  as  the  common  and  unlearn- 
ed ;  'and  so,'  said  he  'I  find  it  is  the  plain 
promises  of  the  gospel  that  are  my 
support,  and  I  bless  Gcd  they  are 
plain  promises,  that  do  not  require 
much  labor  and  pains  to  understand 
them  ;  for  I  can  do  nothing  now  but 
look  into  my  Bible  for  some  promise 
to  support  and  livre  upon.'  " 

It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  many 
of  the  promises  are  in  monosyllables, 
as,  "  They  that  sow  in  tears  shall  reap 
in  joy  ;"  "  We  shall  be  like  him,  for 
we  shall  see  him  as  he  is  ;"  "I  will 
be  his  God,  and  he  shall  be  my  son ;" 
Ps.  126:5;  1  John  3  :  2  ;  Rev.  21:7. 
But  there  are  hundreds  of  promises 
containing  longer  words  and  just 
as  plain  as  these  ;  such  as  abound  in 


28  PROMISES   OF   GOD. 

the  Psalms,  in  Isaiah,  in  the  Sermon 
on  the  Mount  and  in  the  fourteenth 
chapter  of  John.  The  difficulty  in 
laying  hold  of  these  arises  from  the 
weakness  of  our  faith  and  the  great- 
ness of  the  blessings  pledged  to  us 
by  the  Lord,  the  Giver  ;  but,  in  them- 
selves, they  are  plain. 

XII.  It  is  a  pleasing  fact  that  the 
promises  are  often  repeated.  We  have 
"  line  upon  line,"  promise  upon  pro- 
mise. For  example,  take  the  promises 
made  to  the  feeble.  All  good  men 
feel  that  their  strength  is  as  nothing 
compared  with  their  adversaries  and 
their  burdens.  They  know  that  God 
can  hold  them  up  and  make  them 
safe.  And  they  believe  that  he  will, 
if  he  has  said  he  would.  Let  us  then 
open  God's  word,   and  see  what  is 


PROMISES   OF   GOD.  29 

there  written :  "  As  thy  days,  so  shall 
thy  strength  be  ;"  "  The  eternal  God 
is  thy  refuge,  and  underneath  are  the 
everlasting  arms ;"  "  In  the  day  when 
I  cried,  thou  answeredst  me,  and 
strengthenedst  me  with  strength  in  my 
soul ;"  "  Thou  hast  been  a  strength  to 
the  poor,  a  strength  to  the  needy 
in  his  distress,  a  refuge  from  the 
storm,  a  shadow  from  the  heat,  when 
the  blast  of  the  terrible  ones  is  as  a 
storm  against  the  wall ;"  "  Let  the 
weak  say,  I  am  strong ;"  "  In  that  day, 
shall  the  Lord  defend  the  inhabitants 
of  Jerusalem ;  and  he  that  is  feeble 
among  them  shall  be  as  David ;  and 
the  house  of  David  shall  be  as  God, 
as  the  angel  of  the  Lord  before  them  ;" 
Deut.  33  :  25,  27  ;  Ps.  138  :  3  ;  Isa.  25  : 
4 ;  Joel  3:10;  Zech.  12:8.    Compare 


30  PROMISES   OF   GOD. 

John  10  :  28-30  ;  Rom.  14  :  4 ;  Rev. 
3  :  8-10.  In  like  manner  it  might  be 
shown  that,  in  a  great  variety  of  cases, 
God  has  heaped  promise  upon  prom- 
ise, respecting  both  temporal  and 
spiritual  blessings. 

XIII.  It  has  already  been  shown 
how  God  has  confirmed  his  promise 
by  an  oath  (Heb.  6:  17,  18),  greatly 
to  the  support  and  joy  of  his  people. 
But  he  has  done  more.  He  has  given 
pledges  and  earnests  of  the  good  things 
he  has  engaged  to  bestow.  His  bring- 
ing his  people  through  the  Red  Sea 
was  a  token  of  what  he  would  do 
for  them  all,  if  they  would  but  hope 
in  him.  His  saving  David  from  the 
lion  and  the  bear  was  a  token  of  all  the 
prowess  and  deliverances  of  his  sub- 
sequent life.     So  the  regeneration  of 


PROMISES   OF   GOD.  3 1 

one  of  his  people  is  good  ground  of 
unwavering  confidence  in  him  for 
every  coming  emergency.  Thus  ar- 
gued the  apostle  of  the  circumcision  : 
"  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of 
our  Lord  Jesus,  which,  according  to  his 
abundant  mercy,  hath  begotten  us 
again  into  a  lively  hope  by  the  resur- 
rection of  Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead, 
to  an  inheritance  incorruptible,  and 
undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away, 
reserved  in  heaven  for  you,  who  are 
kept  by  the  power  of  God  through  faith 
unto  salvation  ready  to  be  revealed 
in  the  last  time."     1  Pet.  1  :  3-5. 

But  the  greatest  confirmation  of 
the  promises  ever  given  to  the  peo- 
ple of  God  is  found  in  the  gift  of  Jesus 
Christ.  The  old  covenant  was  good, 
but  the  new  is  better,  for  it  is  "  estab- 


32  PROMISES   OF   GOD. 

lished  upon  better  promises ;"  Heb. 
8  :  6.  The  apostle  Paul  sums  up  this 
matter  in  few  words :  "  He  that  spar- 
ed not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him 
up  for  us  all,  how  shall  he  not  with 
him  also  freely  give  us  all  things  ?" 
Rom.  8  :  32.  Nay,  he  makes  it,  if  pos- 
sible, still  stronger  by  saying :  "  If, 
when  we  were  enemies,  we  were  re- 
conciled to  God  by  the  death  of  his 
Son,  much  more,  being  reconciled, 
we  shall  be  saved  by  his  life."  Rom.  5  : 
10.  Can  stronger  reasoning  than  this 
be  possibly  imagined  ?  And,  as  if  all 
this  were  not  enough,  the  Holy  Spirit 
is  given  as  the  pledge  and  earnest  of 
salvation  to  all  who  believe  in  Jesus. 
Rom.  8  :  23  :  "  And  not  only  they, 
but  ourselves  also,  which  have  the 
first  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  even  we  our- 


PROMISES   OF   GOD.  33 

selves  groan  within  ourselves,  etc." 
The  same  is  taught  in  2  Cor.  1  :  21, 
22  :  "  Now  he  which  establisheth  us 
with  you  in  Christ,  and  hath  anoint- 
ed us,  is  God ;  who  hath  also  sealed 
us,  and  given  the  earnest  of  the  Spirit 
in  our  hearts." 

APPLICATION   OF  THESE    TRUTHS    TO 
CASES. 

These  truths  and  principles  admit 
of  a  wide  application.  So  long  as  we 
do  not  pervert  the  meaning  of  a  gra- 
cious promise  by  applying  it  to  per- 
sons or  characters  wholly  diverse 
from  those  to  whom  the  engagement 
was  made,  we  can  hardly  go  too  far 
in  comforting  pious  souls  by  the 
words  spoken  for  the  solace  of  saints 
of  old.  Let  us  then  briefly  apply  what 
3 


34  PROMISES   OF  GOD. 

has  been  said,  to  quite  a  number  of 
cases. 

I. —  OUR  WORLDLY  AFFAIRS. 

The  word  of  God  requires  us  to 
"  provide  things  honest  in  the  sight 
of  all  men."  It  declares  that  "  if  any 
provide  not  for  his  own,  and  espe- 
cially for  those  of  his  own  house,  he 
hath  denied  the  faith,  and  is  worse 
than  an  infidel ;"  Rom.  12:17;  x  Tim. 
5  :  8.  On  the  other  hand,  it  as  clearly 
teaches  that  "  if  any  man  love  the 
world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in 
him  ;"  and  says,  "  Lay  not  up  for  your- 
selves treasures  upon  earth,  where 
moth  and  rust  doth  corrupt  and  where 
thieves  break  through  and  steal."  1 
Jno.  2:15;  Matt.  7  :  19.  Compare 
Luke  12  :  22-30.  These  are  our  solemn 


PROMISES   OF  GOD.  35 

circumstances.  Dangers  are  on  either 
hand.  If  we  are  improvident,  we 
sin ;  if  we  love  the  world,  we  no 
less  sin.  "  We  have  been  industrious 
and  careful,  and  yet  we  are  poor  and 
in  straits."  Do  the  promises  of  God 
meet  such  a  case  ?  The  answer  is, 
they  do  fully  meet  it  in  both  Testa- 
ments. 

1.  If  we  do  our  duty,  we  may  safe- 
ly leave  results  with  God.  Under  a 
dispensation  much  darker  than  this, 
a  prophet  said :  "  Although  the  fig- 
tree  shall  not  blossom,  neither  shall 
fruit  be  in  the  vines ;  the  labor  of  the 
olive  shall  fail,  and  the  fields  shall 
yield  no  meat ;  the  flock  shall  be  cut 
off  from  the  fold,  and  there  shall  be 
no  herd  in  the  stalls ;  yet  I  will  re- 
joice in  the  Lord,  I  will  joy  in  the 


2,6  PROMISES   OF   GOD. 

God  of  my  salvation.  The  Lord  God  is 
my  strength,  and  he  will  make  my  feet 
like  hinds'  feet,  and  he  will  make  me 
to  walk  upon  my  high  places."  Heb. 
3  :  17-19.  Does  not  this  cover  the 
whole  case  ?  Take  another  promise  : 
"When  the  poor  and  needy  seek 
water,  and  there  is  none,  and  their 
tongue  faileth  for  thirst,  I  the  Lord 
will  hear  them,  I  the  God  of  Israel 
will  not  forsake  them.  I  will  open 
rivers  in  high  places,  and  fountains 
in  the  midst  of  the  valleys :  I  will 
make  the  wilderness  a  pool  of  water 
and  the  dry  land  springs  of  water." 
Isa.  41  :  17,  18. 

2.  If  we  are  poor,  we  shall  have  the 
less  account  to  give  for  the  abuse  of 
worldly  possessions.  One  of  the  rich- 
est    monarchs    when     dying,     said, 


PROMISES   OF  GOD.  37 

"  What  have  I  left  of  all  my  possessions 
except  that  they  have  fearfully  swell- 
ed my  account  at  the  tribunal  of 
God !"  As  riches  increase,  the  re- 
sponsibility increases  also.  To  whom 
much  is  given,  of  him  shall  be  much 
required."  Luke  12:48.  Nor  is  this 
principle  unjust,  for,  the  world  over, 
it  is  true  that  "  to  whom  men  have 
committed  much,  of  him  they  will 
ask  the  more." 

3.  If  we,  instead  of  regretting  that 
our  worldly  goods  are  small,  do  but 
remember  that  riches  often  prove 
a  fatal  snare,  we  shall  probably  be 
satisfied  with  little.  It  is  very  difficult 
to  have  riches  and  not  trust  in  them. 
So  teach  both  Scripture  and  experi- 
ence. If  they  steal  away  our  hearts 
from  God  and  heavenly  things,  we 


38  PROMISES  OF   GOD. 

ought  to  be  thankful  that  God  with- 
holds them.  It  was  not  an  idle  mes- 
sage that  Paul  sent  to  a  young  min- 
ister :  "  Charge  them  that  are  rich 
in  this  world,  that  they  be  not  high- 
minded,  nor  trust  in  uncertain  riches, 
but  in  the  living  God,  who  giveth 
us  richly  all  things  to  enjoy ;  that 
they  do  good,  that  they  be  rich  in 
good  works,  ready  to  distribute,  wil- 
ling to  communicate  ;  laying  up  in 
store  for  themselves  a  good  founda- 
tion against  the  time  to  come,  that 
they  may  lay  hold  on  eternal  life."  I 
Tim.  6 :  17-19. 

4.  We  ought  never  to  forget  that 
the  great  mass  of  God's  people  has 
been  from  the  humbler  walks  of  life. 
"  Not  many  wise  men  after  the  flesh, 
not  many  mighty,  not  many  noble  are 


PROMISES   OF  GOD.  39 

called  ;  but  God  hath  chosen  the  fool- 
ish things  of  the  world  to  confound 
the  wise ;  and  God  hath  chosen  the 
weak  things  of  the  world  to  con- 
found the  things  which  are  mighty  ; 
and  base  things  of  the  world,  and 
things  which  are  despised,  hath  God 
chosen,  yea,  and  things  which  are 
not,  to  bring  to  naught  things  that 
are."  "  Hearken,  my  beloved  brethren, 
hath  not  God  chosen  the  poor  of 
this  world  rich  in  faith,  and  heirs  of 
the  kingdom  which  he  hath  prom- 
ised to  them  that  love  him  ?"  1  Cor. 
1  :  26-28  ;  Jas.  2:5.  When  the  church 
at  Smyrna  was  bowed  down  with 
tribulation  and  poverty,  He  who 
never  errs  in  judgment,  said  for  her 
comfort :  "  Thou  art  rich  ;"  Rev.  2  :  9. 
He  knew  the  truth  and  he  spoke  it. 


40  PROMISES   OF  GOD. 

5.  To  the  pious  poor,  a  state  of  de- 
pression shall  not  last  always.  It 
may  last  during  natural  life,  but  it 
shall  then  forever  terminate.  God 
can  and  will,  in  his  own  time,— the 
very  best  time, — exalt  his  humble 
servants,  and  enrich  them  for  ever. 
"  He  raiseth  up  the  poor  out  of  the 
dust,  and  lifteth  the  needy  out  of  the 
dunghill ;  that  he  may  set  him  with 
princes,  even  with  the  princes  of  his 
people."     Ps.  113  :  7,  8. 

6.  "  It  is  enough  that  the  disciple 
be  as  his  master  and  the  servant  as 
his  Lord."  Jesus  had  not  where 
to  lay  his  head.  During  his  public 
life,  he  seems  to  have  subsisted  very 
much  upon  the  pittance  given  him 
by  the  poor.  Let  us  love,  and  praise, 
and  be  like  him.  "  Ye  know  the  grace 


PROMISES   OF   GOD.  41 

of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that,  though 
he  was  rich,  yet  for  your  sakes  he  be- 
came poor,  that  ye,  through  his  pover- 
ty might  be  rich."  2  Cor.  8:9.  It 
is  true  that  Christ's  poverty  here 
mentioned  includes  infinitely  more 
than  his  want  of  earthly  goods  ;  but 
it  includes  that  also.  If  Christ's  fol- 
lowers have  a  better  lot  in  life  than 
their  adorable  master,  all  murmuring 
should  be  silenced. 

7.  Whatever  may  be  the  worldly 
estate  of  God's  people,  they  have 
immense  wealth.  So  says  Paul:  "  All 
things  are  yours ;  Whether  Paul,  or 
Apollos,  or  Cephas,  or  the  world,  or 
life,  or  death,  or  things  present,  or 
things  to  come  ;  all  are  yours ;  and 
ye  are  Christ's  and  Christ  is  God's." 
1  Cor.  3  :  21-23.    Every  child  of  God 


42  PROMISES   OF  GOD. 

has  an  indefeasible  title  to  what  our 
Saviour  calls  "  the  true  riches,  "  Luke 
16:  ii  ;  and  to  what  Paul  calls  the 
"  riches  of  his  grace,"  the  "  riches  of 
his  glory,"  and  "the  unsearchable 
riches  of  Christ,"  Rom.  9:23;  Eph. 
1:7;  3:8.  The  same  doctrine  is 
taught  at  almost  the  very  close  of  the 
canon  of  Scripture :  "  He  that  over- 
cometh  shall  inherit  all  things,"  Rev. 
21:7. 

8.  Moreover,  such  is  the  infinite 
wisdom  employed  in  the  arrangement 
of  the  covenant  of  grace  that  the  most 
adverse  things  often  result  in  the  most 
blessed  issues.  "  Our  light  affliction, 
which  is  but  for  a  moment,  worketh 
for  us  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eter- 
nal weight  of  glory."  2  Cor.  4:  17. 
So   that  "  he    that   goeth   forth   and 


PROMISES   OF  GOD.  43 

weepeth,  bearing  precious  seed,  shall 
doubtless  come  again  with  rejoicing, 
bringing  his  sheaves  with  him."  Ps. 
126 : 6. 

9.  Let  us  learn  to  imitate  those 
great  and  good  men  who,  in  days  of 
persecution,  "  took  joyfully  the  spoil- 
ing of  their  goods."  Heb.  10 :  34. 
When  the  noble  Marquis  of  Vico  had 
all  his  property  confiscated  in  one 
day,  he  said,  "  Their  gold  and  silver 
perish  with  them  who  count  all  the 
wealth  of  the  world  worth  one  hour's 
communion  with  Jesus  Christ."  What- 
ever may  be  our  worldly  state  we  have 
an  infallible  assurance  that  "  Godli- 
ness is  profitable  unto  all  things,  hav- 
ing promise  of  the  life  that  now  is 
and  of  that  which  is  to  come."  And 
what  more  do  we  need  than  that  ?   If 


44  PROMISES   OF  GOD. 

anything,  it  is  found  in  Ps.  23  :  6, 
"  Surely  goodness  and  mercy  shall 
follow  me  all  the  days  of  my  life,  and 
I  will  dwell  in  the  house  of  the  Lord 
for  ever."  Ps.  34  :g,  "  O  fear  the  Lord 
ye  his  saints,  for  there  is  no  want  to 
them  that  fear  him.  The  young  lions 
do  lack  and  suffer  hunger ;  but  they 
that  seek  the  Lord  shall  not  want  any 
good  thing."  Ps.  37  :  3,  "  Trust  in 
the  Lord  and  do  good ;  so  shalt 
thou  dwell  in  the  land,  and  verily 
thou   shalt   be    fed."      Matt.    6  :  25- 

32. 

10.  The  everlasting  establishment 
of  the  redeemed  in  glory  is  enough 
to  settle  every  right  mind  on  such  a 
subject.  No  good  man  on  earth  be- 
lieves that  Lazarus  now  regrets  his 
earthly   wants,   or  has   ever  looked 


PROMISES   OF   GOD.  45 

back  upon  his  sores  and  sorrows,  and 
wished  he  had  not  felt  them. 

ii.  Then  the  good  man  has  God's 
blessing  on  his  person  and  his  estate. 
And  a  little  with  his  blessing  is  better 
than  much  with  his  curse.     "  A  little 
that  a  righteous  man  hath  is  better 
than  the  riches  of  many  wicked."  Ps. 
37:  16;  Pr.    10:22;    15:  16.     How 
large  that  blessing  is  may  be  seen  in 
Deut.  28  :  3-8  :     "  Blessed  shalt  thou 
be  in  the  city,  and  blessed  shalt  thou 
be  in  the  field.     Blessed  shall  be  the 
fruit  of  thy  body,  and  the  fruit  of  thy 
ground  and  the  fruit  of  thy  cattle,  the 
increase  of  thy  kine  and  the  flocks  of 
thy    sheep.      Blessed    shall    be    thy 
basket  and  thy  store.     Blessed  shalt 
thou  be  when  thou  comest  in,  and 
blessed  shalt  thou  be  when  thou  goest 


46  PROMISES  OF  GOD. 

out.  The  Lord  shall  cause  thine  ene- 
mies that  rise  up  against  thee  to  be 
smitten  before  thy  face;  they  shall 
come  out  against  thee  one  way  and 
flee  before  thee  seven  ways.  The 
Lord  shall  command  the  blessing 
upon  thee  in  thy  store  houses,  and  in 
all  thou  setteth  thine  hand  unto,  and 
he  shall  bless  thee  in  the  land  which 
the  Lord  thy  God  giveth  thee.  " 
Yea,  more. 

12.  Observation  shows  how  won- 
derfully God  cares  for  his  people. 
David  says,  Ps.  37:  25,  "  I  have  been 
young,  and  now  am  old ;  yet  have  I 
not  seen  the  righteous  forsaken,  nor 
his  seed  begging  bread." 

II. — OUR  AFFLICTIONS  AND   TRIBU- 
LATIONS. 

The   afflictions  and   distresses   of 


PROMISES   OF   GOD.  47 

God's  people  are  both  many  and 
great.  His  waves  and  his  billows  of- 
ten go  over  them.  Our  tribulations 
are  exceedingly  varied  and  commonly 
very  unexpected.  There  is  often  an 
unaccountable  strangeness  in  them. 
It  was  peculiarly  trying  on  the  patri- 
arch to  be  so  sadly  separated  from 
Joseph.  David  received  some  of  his 
worst  treatment  from  those  who  had 
received  great  kindness  and  services 
at  his  hands.  How  often  does  pover- 
ty come  upon  those  who  were  born 
to  affluence  !  But  it  should  mightily 
quiet  us  to  remember, 

1.  That  God  gave  us  fair  notice 
that  "  we  must  through  much  tribu- 
lation enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
God,"  Acts  14  :  22.  The  very  first 
clause  in   the  law  of  membership  in 


48  PROMISES   OF  GOD. 

Christ's  house  is  :  "  If  any  man  will 
come  after  me,  let  him  deny  himself 
and  take  up  his  cross  and  follow  me," 
Matt.  16:  24. 

2.  One  dark  sign  attending  the 
course  of  many  a  professor  is  his  free- 
dom from  affliction.  It  was  when 
Judah  was  in  the  saddest  moral  state 
that  Jehovah  said  :  "  Why  should  ye 
be  stricken  any  more?"  Isa.  1:5. 
And  Paul  expressly  says :  "If  ye  be 
without  chastisement,  whereof  all  are 
partakers,  then  are  ye  bastards  and 
not  sons.  "     Heb.  12  :  8. 

3.  Affliction,  so  far  from  being  a 
token  against  us,  is  more  than  once 
in  Scripture  spoken  of  as  an  attend- 
ant of  discipleship.  "  If  ye  endure 
chastening,  God  dealeth  with  you  as 
with  sons;  for  what  son  is  he  whom 


PROMISES   OF   GOD.  49 

the  Father  chasteneth  not?";  "As 
many  as  I  love,  I  rebuke  and  chasten." 
Heb.  12  :  7;  Rev.  3  :  10. 

4.  There  is  an  unfailing  promise 
of  good  to  the  people  of  God  from 
all  their  sufferings.  Indeed,  Paul 
expressly  informs  us  that  God  chas- 
tens us  "  for  our  profit,  that  we  might 
be  partakers  of  his  holiness  ;"  and 
again,  "  We  know  that  all  things 
work  together  for  good  to  them  that 
love  God,  to  them  who  are  the  called 
according  to  his  purpose."  Heb.  12: 
10;  Rom.  8:  28. 

5.  God  is  with  all  his  people ;  but, 
in  a  very  remarkable  manner,  is  he 
with  his  sorrowful  ones.  This  is  just 
what  he  promised  long  centuries  ago  : 
"  But  now  thus  saith  the  Lord  that 
created  thee,  O  Jacob,  and  he  that 

4 


50  PROMISES   OF  GOD. 

formed  thee,  O  Israel,  Fear  not :  for 
I  have  redeemed  thee,  I  have  called 
thee  by  thy  name ;  thou  art  mine. 
When  thou  passest  through  the 
waters,  I  will  be  with  thee ;  and 
through  the  rivers,  they  shall  not 
overflow  thee :  when  thou  walkest 
through  the  fire,  thou  shalt  not  be 
burned  ;  neither  shall  the  flame 
kindle  upon  thee.  For  I  am  the  Lord 
thy  God,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  thy 
Saviour."  Isa.  43  :  1-3.  Did  the 
three  faithful  young  Hebrews  ever 
have  such  a  view  of  the  Son  of  God 
as  in  Nebuchadnezzar's  furnace  ?  Dan. 
3:25.  Such  favors  are  not  granted 
to  ordinary  sufferers.  It  is  worth 
while  to  be  scourged,  and  have  one's 
feet  made  fast  in  the  stocks,  to  behold 
such   wonders  as  were  wrought  in 


PROMISES   OF   GOD.  5 1 

the   jail   at   Philippi.      Acts    16 :  25- 
40. 

6.  All  these  trials  will  make  heaven 
the  sweeter.  There  is  no  evidence 
that,  after  his  conversion,  Paul  ever 
reckoned  amiss  ;  and  he  says,  "  I  reck- 
on, that  the  sufferings  of  this  present 
time  are  not  worthy  to  be  compared 
with  the  glory  which  shall  be  reveal- 
ed in  us;"  and  he  has  preserved  in 
one  of  his  epistles  what  some  regard 
as  one  of  the  songs  sung  in  the  prim- 
titive  church.  Whether  this  be  so  or 
not,  the  words  are  precious  and  are 
inspired :  "  For,  if  we  be  dead  with 
him,  we  shall  also  live  with  him  :  if 
we  suffer,  we  shall  also  reign  with 
him  :  if  we  deny  him,  he  also  will 
deny  us :  if  we  believe  not,  yet  he 
abideth    faithful  :     he    cannot    deny 


52  PROMISES   OF  GOD. 

himself."     Rom.  8  :  18  ;  2  Pet.  2:11- 

13. 

Let  us  be  therefore  much  more  so- 
licitous to  get  good  out  of  our  af- 
flictions than  tc  be  rid  of  them.  It  is 
not  necessary  that  we  live  lives  of 
ease,  but  it  is  necessary  that  we  learn 
to  derive  benefit  from  affliction.  That 
is  a  sad  record  made  of  a  famous  peo- 
ple by  one  of  their  great  prophets  : 
"  O  Lord,  are  not  thine  eyes  upon 
the  truth  ?  Thou  hast  stricken  them 
but  they  have  not  grieved  ;  thou  hast 
consumed  them,  but  they  have  re- 
fused to  receive  correction :  they 
have  made  their  faces  harder  than  a 
rock ;  they  have  refused  to  return." 
A  later  prophet  brings  a  similar 
charge:  "  They  refused  to  hearken, 
and  pulled  away  the  shoulder,  and 


PROMISES   OF   GOD.  53 

stopped  their  ears,  that  they  should 
not  hear.  Yea,  they  made  their 
hearts  as  an  adamant  stone  lest  they 
should  hear  the  law,  and  the  words 
which  the  Lord  of  hosts  hath  sent  in 
his  spirit  by  the  former  prophets  ;" 
Jer.  5:3;  Zech.  7:11,  12.  And,  as 
if  all  this  were  not  enough, 

7.  God  has  promised  full  deliver- 
ance from  all  trouble  at  the  right 
time  and  in  the  right  way.  "  Many 
are  the  afflictions  of  the  righteous  ; 
but  the  Lord  delivereth  them  out  of 
them  all."  "Though  ye  have  lain 
among  the  pots,  yet  shall  ye  be  as 
the  wings  of  a  dove  covered  with 
silver,  and  her  feathers  with  yel- 
low gold  ;*'  "  Come,  and  let  us  re- 
turn unto  the  Lord ;  for  he  hath 
torn,  and  he  will  heal  us;    he  hath 


54  PROMISES   OF   GOD. 

smitten  and  he  will  bind  us  up ;" 
Ps.  34:  19;  68:  13;  Hos.  6:1.  Yea, 
more, 

8.  Until  he  shall  remove  the  afflic- 
tion, he  will  give  strength  and  sup- 
port to  every  one  that  hopes  in  his 
mercy.  "  Though  he  fall,  he  shall  not 
be  utterly  cast  down ;  for  the  Lord 
upholdeth  him  with  his  hand.  The 
salvation  of  the  righteous  is  of  the 
Lord ;  he  is  their  strength  in  the  time 
of  trouble  ;"  "  Thou  hast  given  com- 
mandment to  save  me  :  for  thou  art 
my  rock  and  my  fortress  ;"  "  He 
stayeth  his  rough  wind  in  the  day  of 
his  east  wind  "  "  For  as  the  suffer- 
ings of  Christ  abound  in  us,  so  our 
consolation  also  aboundeth  by  Christ." 
Ps.  37-24,  39  5  7i  :  3;  Isa.  27:8;  2 
Cor.  1:5.  Surely  with  such  promises 


PROMISES   OF   GOD.  55 

the  pious  may  well  be  quiet  and  sub- 
missive under  any  trials. 

III. — OUR  TRIALS  AND   DANGERS   IN 
YOUTH. 

He  must  be  silly  who  does  not  see 
that  the  young  have  great  trials  and 
are  in  great  danger.  Their  want  of 
experience  is  sadly  to  their  disad- 
vantage. Even  when  they  have 
been  taught  of  God  so  as  to  see 
and  embrace  the  way  of  life,  they 
know  but  little  of  the  treachery  of 
their  own  hearts,  of  the  deceitful- 
ness  of  the  world,  and  of  the  machi- 
nations of  the  Wicked  One.  How 
natural  for  such  to  cry  out  for  some 
one  to  help  !  Happy  would  it  be  for 
every  one  to  hear  the  call  of  love : 
"  Wilt  thou  not  from  this  time  cry 


56  PROMISES   OF   GOD. 

unto  me,  My  Father,  thou  art  the 
guide  of  my  youth  ?"  Jer.  3  :  4.  Our 
blessed  Lord  himself  was  once  a  youth, 
and  knows  from  experience  the  trials 
of  the  young.  If  they  can  secure  the 
friendship  of  this  blessed  One,  all  will 
be  safe.  Continually  is  he  fulfilling 
the  prediction :  "  He  shall  feed  his 
flock  like  a  shepherd :  he  shall  gather 
the  lambs  with  his  arm,  and  carry 
them  in  his  bosom,  and  shall  gently 
lead  those  that  are  with  young."  Isa. 
40 : 1 1 .  The  case  of  the  young  and  fee- 
ble, particularly  those  who  feel  them- 
selves to  be  in  great  need  of  spiritual 
succor,  is  well  provided  for  in  the 
promises  of  God.  Take  a  single  pas- 
sage :  "  Hast  thou  not  known  ?  hast 
thou  not  heard,  that  the  everlasting 
God,  the  Lord,  the  Creator  of  the 


PROMISES   OF  GOD.  $7 

ends  of  the  earth,  fainteth  not,  neither 
is  weary  ?  there  is  no  searching  of  his 
understanding.  He  giveth  power  to 
the  faint ;  and  to  them  that  have  no 
might  he  increaseth  strength.  Even 
the  youths  shall  faint  and  be  weary, 
and  the  young  men  shall  utterly  fall : 
but  they  that  wait  upon  the  Lord 
shall  renew  their  strength  ;  they  shall 
mount  up  with  wings  as  eagles ;  they 
shall  run,  and  not  be  weary  ;  and  they 
shall  walk  and  not  faint."  Isa.  40  :  28 

-3i- 

To  such  as  have  had  pious  parents 
the  promises  are  peculiarly  rich  and 
numerous.  ■*  In  the  fear  of  the  Lord 
is  strong  confidence  ;  and  his  children 
shall  have  a  place  of  refuge ;"  "  The 
just  man  walketh  in  his  integrity  ;" 
"  The  children  of  thy  servants  shall 


58  PROMISES   OF   GOD. 

continue,  and  their  seed  shall  be  estab- 
lished before  thee."  Prov.  14:26; 
20  :  7  ;  Ps.  102  :  28.  Pious  young  peo- 
ple also  have  an  interest  in  all  the 
general  promises  given  to  such  as 
make  God  their  trust. 

IV. — THE   MIDDLE  AGED. 

These  also  have  trials  peculiar  to 
themselves.  The  burdens  of  life  come 
upon  them  with  great  weight.  As 
riches  increase  they  are  increased  also 
that  consume  them.  They  hardly 
provide  for  one  class  of  wants  before 
others  clamor  for  their  attention. 
Their  duty  is  clear  :  "  Cast  thy  bur- 
den upon  the  Lord,  and  he  shall  sus- 
tain thee  ;  he  shall  never  suffer  the 
righteous  to  be  moved."  Ps.  55  :  22. 
What  such  need  is  not  less  toil,  or  less 


PROMISES   OF   GOD.  59 

care,  but  more  resolution  and  greater 
confidence  in  God,  who  says :  "  Be  of 
good  courage,  and  he  shall  strengthen 
your  heart,  all  ye  that  hope  in  the 
Lord  ;"  "  Say  to  them  that  are  of  a 
fearful  heart,  Be  strong,  fear  not ;  be- 
hold your  God  will  come  with  ven- 
geance, even  God  with  a  recom- 
pense ;"  "  I  will  strengthen  them  in 
the  Lord  ;  and  they  shall  walk  up  and 
down  in  his  name,  saith  the  Lord." 
Ps.  21:34;  Isa.  35:4;  Zech.  10:12. 
Strong  men  ought  not  to  behave 
like  little  children,  or  like  the  aged 
and  infirm.  "  Quit  you  like  men,  be 
strong."  1  Cor.  16:13.  It  is  a 
shame  to  be  chicken-hearted  when 
you  ought  to  be  intrepid. 


6o  PROMISES   OF   GOD. 

V. — THE   AGED. 

For  these  also,  God  has  made  am- 
ple provision.  They  have  indeed 
great  sorrows.  They  have  seen  bet- 
ter days,  but  they  have  now  come  to 
the  years  when  they  have  no  pleas- 
ure in  them,  The  sun,  the  light,  the 
moon  and  the  stars  are  darkened  ; 
and  the  clouds  return  after  the  "rain. 
The  keepers  of  the  house  tremble, 
and  the  strong  men  bow  themselves, 
and  the  grinders  cease  because  they 
are  few,  and  those  that  look  out  of 
the  window  are  darkened.  Fears  are 
in  the  way,  and  the  almond-tree 
flourishes,  and  the  grasshopper  is  a 
burden  and  desire  fails.  To  such 
aged  persons  as  trust  in  him  God  has 
promised,  "  Even  to  your  old  age,  I 


PROMISES   OF   GOD.  6l 

am  he  ;  and  even  to  hoar  hairs  will  I 
carry  you ;  I  have  made,  and  I  will 
bear ;  even  I  will  carry,and  will  deliver 
you."  "  Those  that  be  planted  in  the 
house  of  the  Lord  shall  flourish  in  the 
courts  of  our  God.  They  shall  still 
bring  forth  fruit  in  old  age  ;  they  shall 
be  fat  and  flourishing  ;  to  shew  that 
the  Lord  is  upright :  he  is  my  rock, 
and  there  is  no  unrighteousness  in 
him ;"  "  This  God  is  our  God  for 
ever  and  ever;  he  will  be  our  guide 
even  unto  death  ;"  Isa.  46:4;  Ps.  48  : 
14;  92:  14.  No  wonder  if  those  who 
have  these  and  like  promises,  "  come 
to  the  grave  in  a  full  age,  like  as  a 
shock  of  corn  cometh  in  his  season." 

VI. — THE   WIDOW   AND    ORPHAN. 

Among  the  most  trying  situations 
in  life  are  those  of  the  widow  and  or- 


62  PROMISES   OF   GOD. 

phan.  Such  is  the  common  judgment 
of  mankind.  Nor  do  the  Scriptures 
intimate  anything  to  the  contrary, 
but  rather  confirm  it.  The  trials  of 
such  are  exceedingly  great  even 
where  Christianity  casts  the  shield 
of  her  protection  around  them.  But 
God  understands  all  their  cases  and 
has  abundantly  provided  for  them. 
Listen  to  his  word  ;  "  When  my  fath- 
er and  my  mother  forsake  me,  then 
the  Lord  will  take  me  up  ;"  "  A  fath- 
er of  the  fatherless  and  a  judge  of 
widows  is  God  in  his  holy  habita- 
tion ;"  "  The  Lord  relieveth  the  fath- 
erless and  the  widow  ;"  "  Leave  thy 
fatherless  children,  I  will  preserve 
them  alive  ;  and  let  thy  widows  trust 
in  me;"  Ps.  27:10;  68:5;  146:9; 
Jer.  49:11.     A    mother   was   dying. 


PROMISES   OF   GOD.  63 

She  was  surrounded  by  Christian 
friends.  She  called  for  her  new-born 
infant,  and  hopefully  trusting  in  God, 
committed  it  to  those  in  whom  she 
had  been  taught  by  experience  to 
trust,  charging  them  to  train  it  for  the 
work  of  God  among  the  heathen. 
She  then  bade  farewell  to  earth.  The 
child  lived  and  waxed  stronger  and 
stronger.  God  had  heard  the  mater- 
nal vow.  Angels  watched  over  the 
babe,  and  the  boy,  and  the  young 
man.  The  Holy  Spirit  changed  his 
heart.  He  rose  to  great  and  amazing 
honors.  Very  few  have  done  so  much 
for  the  salvation  of  men  and  the  glory 
of  God.  If  you  would  know  the 
whole  story,  read  the  life  of  Chris- 
tian Frederic  Swartz. 


64  PROMISES   OF   GOD. 

VII. — TIMES   OF   COMMOTIONS. 

In  every  age,  our  own  not  except- 
ed, the  most  peaceful  and  quiet  fam- 
ilies have  beard  the  blast  of  the  toc- 
sin of  war.     Sometimes  civil  war  has 
made  ail  hands  faint  and  all  hearts 
melt.     Pangs  and  sorrows  have  taken 
hold  of  the  strong,  for  the  day  of  the 
Lord,    cruel   both    with    wrath    and 
fierce  anger,  had  come  to  lay  the  land 
desolate.      The   stars  of  heaven  and 
the  constellations   thereof  gave   not 
their  wronted  light,  and  God  made  a 
man  more  precious  than   fine   gold. 
The  great  and  good  man  then  stood 
and  cried,  "  I  am  pained  at  my  very 
heart;  my  heart  maketh  a  noise   in 
me  ;  I  cannot  hold  my  peace,  because 
thou  hast  heard,  O  my  soul,  the  sound 


PROMISES   OF   GOD.  65 

of  the  trumpet,  the  alarm  of  war. 
Destruction  upon  destruction  is  cried; 
the  mountains  trembled  and  all  the 
hills  moved  lightly,  and  the  fruitful 
place  became  a  wilderness,  and  lo,  a 
voice  is  heard  crying,  saying,  Wo  is 
me  now !  for  my  soul  is  wearied  be- 
cause of  murderers.  At  such  a  time, 
"  vain  is  the  help  of  man."  But,  "  The 
name  of  the  Lord  is  a  strong  tower ; 
the  righteous  runneth  into  it,  and  is 
safe  ;"  "  He  shall  not  be  afraid  of  evil 
tidings  ;  his  heart  is  fixed  trusting  in 
the  Lord;"  Prov.  18:10;  Ps.  112: 
7.  So  that  the  most  fearful  may  say, 
"  I  will  both  lay  me  down  in  peace 
and  sleep  ;  for  thou,  Lord,  only  mak- 
est  me  to  dwell  in  safety ;"  "  Our 
help  is  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
who  made  heaven  and  earth  ;" 
5 


66  PROMISES   OF   GOD. 

Ps.  4:8;  124:8.     Compare  Ps.  121: 
1-8. 

VIII. — A  VARIETY   OF  CASES.* 

In  one  of  the  songs  of  Zion  the  sa- 
cred penman,  having  called  on  his 
soul  to  praise  the  Lord  and  having 
recounted  some  of  the  deeds  of  Je- 
hovah, says  of  him  that  it  is  he, 
"  Which  executeth  judgment  for  the 
oppressed  ;  which  giveth  food  to  the 
hungry.  The  Lord  looseth  the  pris- 
oners :  the  Lord  openeth  the  eyes  of 
the  blind  :  the  Lord  raiseth  them  that 
are  bowed  down :  the  Lord  loveth 
the  righteous :  the  Lord  preserveth 
the  strangers."  Ps.  146:7-9.  Any 
good  concordance  will,  under  the 
words  oppressed,  hungry,  prisoners, 
blind,   bowed    down,  and    stranger, 


PROMISES   OF   GOD.  67 

open  up  fountains  of*  joy  and  comfort 
to  humble,  believing  souls.  Particu- 
larly examine  Ps.  9:9;  10:18;  103: 
6;  Ps.  107:9,  36;  Ps.  79:11;  102: 
20  ;  Isa.  42  :  7  ;  Isa.  29  :  18  ;  42  :  7,  16  ; 
Ps.  145:14;  Heb.  11:13;  1  Pet.  2: 
11. 

IX. — THE    TROUBLE    OF    INDWELLING 
SIN. 

Sad  indeed  would  be  the  case  of 
the  true  believer  if  he  were  to  be  left 
always  to  contend  with  inbred  cor- 
ruption. He  knows  by  sad  expe- 
rience that  "the  heart  is  deceitful 
above  all  things  and  desperately 
wicked."  Such  have  been  his  narrow 
escapes,  like  those  of  David  from  the 
spear  of  Saul,  that,  like  the  son  of 
Jesse,  he  is  ready  to  say,  "  I  shall  one 
day  perish  by  the  hand  of  mine  ene- 


68  PROMISES   OF   GOD. 

my."  Like  Paul,  he  has  discovered 
that  when  he  would  do  good,  evil  is 
present  with  him.  In  bitterness  he 
cries  out,  "  O,  wretched  man  that  I 
am !  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the 
body  of  this  death?"  Rom.  7:24. 
The  conflict  is  fearful  but  not  desper- 
ate. The  word  of  the  great  Shepherd 
is  out  and  cannot  be  broken :  "  My 
sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I  know 
them,  and  they  follow  me  :  and  I  give 
unto  them  eternal  life  ;  and  they  shall 
never  perish,  neither  shall  any  man 
pluck  them  out  of  my  hand.  My 
Father,  which  gave  them  me,  is  great- 
er than  all ;  and  no  man  is  able  to 
pluck  them  out  of  my  Father's  hand." 
John  10 :  27-29.  And  blessed  Paul  has 
shown  in  his  powerful  argument  on 
the  subject  that  the  justification  of 


PROMISES   OF   GOD.  69 

God's  chosen  in  Christ  is  irrevocable. 
Rom.  8  :  33-39.  In  these  conflicts  the 
believer  must  fall  entirely  upon  the 
promises  of  God,  who  alone  can  sub- 
due our  iniquities,  as  he  shall  finally 
subdue  all  things  unto  himself.  The 
true  doctrine  on  this  subject  however, 
has  long  been  understood  by  the  chil- 
dren of  God:  "  Rejoice  not  against  me, 
O  mine  enemy  ;  when  I  fall  I  shall 
arise ;  when  I  sit  in  darkness,  the 
Lord  shall  be  a  light  unto  me," 
Micah  7  :  8.  When  the  thorn  in  the 
flesh,  the  messenger  of  Satan,  was 
grievously  afflicting  Paul,  Jesus  said, 
"  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee,"  2 
Cor.  12:9.  He  does  in  mercy  visit 
the  iniquities  of  his  people  with  the 
stripes  of  fatherly  chastisement,  but 
he  will  not  give  over  to  the  power  of 


70  PROMISES   OF  GOD. 

destruction  any  soul  that  hates  "  ev- 
ery false  way,"  and  lives  and  dies  ab- 
horring that  which  is  evil. 

X.  One  of  the  standing  annoyances 
of  many  is  the  apprehension  of  death. 
Bildad  called  death  "  the  king  of  ter- 
rors," Job  18:14.  But,  by  death, 
Jesus  Christ  has  destroyed  him  that 
had  the  power  of  death.  He  entered 
his  dark  dominions,  and  spoiled  him 
of  his  possessions.  It  is  for  a  joy 
that  believers  find  the  destruction  of 
this  enemy  so  early  foretold  and  con- 
nected with  the  death  and  resurrec- 
tion of  the  Saviour :  "  Thy  dead  men 
shall  live,  together  with  my  dead 
body  shall  they  arise.  iVwake  and 
sing,  ye  that  dwell  in  dust:  for  thy 
dew  is  as  the  dew  of  herbs,  and  the 
earth  shall  cast  out  the  dead,"  Isa, 


PROMISES   OF  GOD.  71 

26:  19.       The    cotemporary   of   the 
evangelical    prophet    utters    in    the 
Master's  name  the  glad    words:  "I 
will  ransom  them  from  the  power  of 
the  grave :  I  will  redeem  them  from 
death  :  O  death,  I  will  be  thy  plagues  ; 
O    grave,  I  will  be  thy  destruction  : 
repentance   shall   be  hid  from   mine 
eyes,"  Hos.  13  :  14.     And  at  the  close 
of  a  powerful  argument  on  the  sub- 
ject, Paul  utters  these  words  of  tri- 
umph :  "  O  death,  where  is  thy  sting  ? 
O  grave,  where  is  thy  victory  ?    The 
sting  of  death  is  sin ;  and  the  strength 
of  sin  is  the  law.     But  thanks  be  to 
God    which   giveth  us  the    victory, 
through  our  Lord   Jesus   Christ,"  1 

Cor.  15:55-57. 

Accordingly,  in  the  history  of  the 
church,  we  have  thousands  of  pages 


72  PROMISES   OF  GOD. 

filled  with  accounts  of  the  triumphs 
of  God's  people  over  death  in  his  most 
frightful  form.  Not  a  day  passes 
without  some  saint  of  God  on  the 
verge  of  the  grave  leaving  testimony 
to  the  power  of  the  grace  of  God  in 
sustaining  his  dying  people.  When 
Dr.  Grosvenor  was  told,  "  You  have 
seen  the  end  of  Dr.  Watts  ;  and  you 
will  soon  follow  him  ;  what  think  you 
of  death?"  "Think  of  it?"  he  re- 
plied, "  why,  when  death  comes,  I 
shall  smile  upon  him,  if  God  will 
smile  upon  me."  Ralph  Erskine's 
last  words  were,  "  Victory,  victory." 
Dr.  John  H.  Rice's  last  words  were, 
"  Mercy  is  triumphant."  Jeremiah 
Evarts  left  the  world  far  from  home, 
among  strangers,  saying,  "  O  wonder- 
ful, wonderful,  wonderful  glory  !  We 


PROMISES   OF  GOD.  73 

cannot  comprehend;  wonderful  glory! 
I  will  praise  him,  I  will  praise  him  ! 
Wonderful — glory — Jesus  reigneth." 
It  would  be  easy  to  fill  volumes  with 
like  blessed  testimonies. 

REMARKS. 

1.  Let  us  look  a  little  at  some  of 
the  general  promises  of  Scripture. 
Here  are  a  few  of  them  :  "  Them  that 
honor  me  will  I  honor,"  1  Sam.  2  :  30. 
Here  is  its  companion  in  the  New 
Testament :  "  If  any  man  serve  me, 
him  will  my  Father  honor,"  John  12  : 
26.  Here  is  one  from  the  pen  of 
David  :  "  Weeping  may  endure  for  a 
night,  but  joy  cometh  in  the  morn- 
ing," Ps.  30 :  5.  And  here  is  one  from 
the  pen  of  Paul :  "  Our  light  afflic- 
tion,  which   is   but    for  a   moment, 


74  PROMISES   OF  GOD. 

worketh  for  us  a  far  more  exceeding 
and  eternal  weight  of  glory,"  2  Cor. 
4:17.  With  David  it  is  "  a  night;' 
with  Paul,  "a  moment;"  with  David 
it  is  "weeping;"  with  Paul,  "light 
affliction;"  with  David  there  is  a 
"  morning  of  joy  ;"  with  Paul,  "  a  far 
more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight 
of  glory."  Solomon  says:  "A  good 
man  obtaineth  favor  of  the  Lord," 
Pr.  12:2.  Paul  speaks  thus :  "We 
are  justified  freely  by  his  grace," 
Rom.  3  :  24.  "  Where  sin  abounded, 
grace  did  much  more  abound,"  Rom. 
5  :  20.  Afterwards,  he  speaks  of  "  the 
riches  of  his  grace,"  and  of  the  "  ex- 
ceeding riches  of  his  grace,"  Eph.  1 : 
7  ;  2:7.  Solomon  says  :  "  He  that 
followeth  after  righteousness  and  mer- 
cy findeth  life,  righteousness  and  hon- 


PROMISES   OF   GOD.  75 

or,"  Pr.  21  :  21.  Paul  says,  "  All  things 
are  for  your  sakes,"  2  Cor.  4:15;  and 
teaches  that  though  God's  people 
"  have  nothing,"  yet  they  "  possess  all 
things,  "  2  Cor.  6 :  10.  Jesus  says, 
"  Because  I  live,  ye  shall  live  also," 
John  14:19.  Who  has  ever  seen  a 
child  of  God  with  faith  so  weak  as  to 
doubt  whether  his  blessed  Saviour 
was  living  ?  Long  years  after  he  as- 
cended from  Olivet,  he,  in  a  wonder- 
ful manner,  revealed  himself  to  John, 
and  assured  him  and  all  the  churches, 
of  his  living  existence  and  supreme 
authority :  "lam  he  that  liveth,  and 
was  dead  ;  and  behold,  I  am  alive  for 
evermore,  Amen  ;  and  have  the  keys 
of  hell  and  of  death,"  Rev.  1  :  18. 
Well,  if  Christ  lives,  his  people  shall 
live  also  ;  they  cannot  perish.     Here 


j6  PROMISES   OF  GOD. 

is  another  promise  :  "  The  secret  of 
the  Lord  is  with  them  that  fear  him  ; 
and  he  will  show  them  his  covenant," 
Ps.  25  :  14. 

In  the  New  Testament  that  which 
excels  even  this  is  :  "J  will  pray  the 
Father,  and  he  shall  give  you  another 
comforter,  that  he  may  abide  with 
you  for  ever ;  even  the  Spirit  of  truth  ; 
whom  the  world  cannot  receive,  be- 
cause it  seeth  him  not,  neither  know- 
eth  him :  but  ye  know  him ;  for  he 
dwelleth  with  you,  and  shall  be  in 
you,"  John  14:16,17.  Or,  if  any 
prefer  it,  here  is  another :  "  Peace  I 
leave  with  you,  my  peace  I  give  unto 
you  :  not  as  the  world  giveth,  give  I 
unto  you,"  John  14:  27.  Then,  as  it 
were  for  ever  to  hush  every  unbeliev- 
ing thought,  he   says :  "  Fear  thou 


PROMISES   OF   GOD.  77 

not ;  for  I  am  with  thee :  be  not  dis- 
mayed ;  for  I  am  thy  God  :  I  will 
strengthen  thee  ;  yea,  I  will  help  thee  ; 
yea,  I  will  uphold  thee  with  the  right 
hand  of  my  righteousness,"  Isa.  41  : 
10.  To  crown  all,  he  says,  "  I  will 
never  leave  thee  nor  forsake  thee," 
Heb.  13:5. 

2.  How  clear  is  the  obligation  to 
make  ourselves  acquainted  with  God's 
word.  The  Bible  is  not  a  charm-book, 
though  it  is  a  charming  book.  It 
must  be  known,  and  meditated  upon 
and  practiced  ;  otherwise  how  can  it 
profit?  The  Saviour  himself  said, 
"  Search  the  Scriptures,"  John  5  :  39. 
How  did  our  Lord  resist  temptation 
when  the  great  adversary  attempted 
to  seduce  him?  Not  by  ingenious 
argument,  but  by  saying,  "  It  is  writ- 


78  PROMISES   OF   GOD. 

ten,  It  is  written,  It  is  written."  He 
drew  against  the  tempter  "  the  sword 
of  the  Spirit."  Its  heavenly  metal 
was  irresistible.  Satan  fled  from  be- 
fore it.  How  can  the  promises  cheer, 
or  guide  or  comfort  one,  who  knows 
not  that  God  made  them  ?  There 
was  prepared  during  the  last  century 
a  little  work  by  Rev.  Samuel  Clarke, 
D.D.  It  is  a  collection  of  the  prom- 
ises of  Scripture.  It  has  undergone 
many  editions,  and  has  doubtless 
done  a  world  of  good.  In  some  re- 
spects it  might,  perhaps,  be  improv- 
ed. But  that  can  be  said  of  all  hu- 
man works.  Dr.  Watts  says,  u  he 
would  dare  put  it  into  the  hands  of 
every  Christian  on  earth  ;"  and  well 
he  might,  for  it  is  made  up  of  pure 
Scripture,  without  note  or  comment. 


PROMISES   OF  GOD.  79 

It  would  be  well  to  study  it.  But  it  is 
still  better  to  study  the  whole  word  of 
God  ;  for  there  we  see  the  promises  in 
their  connection  ;  and  there  we  find 
many  gracious  engagements  not 
given  in  Clarke.  O  "  search  the 
Scriptures  ;  for  in  them  ye  think  ye 
have  eternal  life,  and  they  are  they," 
says  Christ,  "  which  testify  of  me." 
We  have  as  much  need  of  the  com- 
fort of  the  Scriptures  as  we  have 
of  patience.     Rom.  15:4. 

3.  The  promises  of  Scripture  res- 
pecting prayer  are  very  full  and  clear. 
The  word  of  God  admits  that  we  know 
not  what  we  should  pray  for  as  we 
ought,  but  it  comes  to  our  relief  when 
it  adds,  "  The  Spirit  itself  maketh  in- 
tercession for  us,  with  groanings 
which  cannot  be  uttered/'  Rom.  8  :  26. 


80  PROMISES   OF  GOD. 

In  his  sermon  on  the  mount  our  blessed 
Lord  said  :  "Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given 
you  ;  seek,  and  ye  shall  find  ;  knock, 
and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you  :  for 
every  one  that  asketh  receiveth  ;  and 
he  that  seeketh,  findeth ;  and  to  him 
that  knocketh,  it  shall  be  opened," 
Matt.  7 :  7,  8.  "  If  ye,  being  evil,  know 
how  to  give  good  gifts  unto  your 
children  :  how  much  more  shall  your 
Heavenly  Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit 
to  them  that  ask  him,"  Luke  u  :  13. 
"  If  ye  abide  in  me,  and  my  words 
abide  in  you,  ye  shall  ask  what  ye 
will,  and  it  shall  be  done  unto  you," 
John  15:7.  Even  the  Old  Testa- 
ment long  since  declared  of  God, 
"  The  prayer  of  the  upright  is  his 
delight  —  He  heareth  the  prayer 
of  the   righteous."     Prov.    15:8,29. 


PROMISES   OF  GOD.  8 1 

And  the  Apostle  of  the  circumcision 
says,  "  The  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  over 
the  righteous  and  his  ears  are  open 
to  their  prayers,"  I  Pet.  3  :  12.  Prayer 
constitutes  a  part  of  every  form  of 
religion  known  to  man.  Without  it 
men  are  practical  atheists.  It  forms 
a  part  of  the  worship  due  to  God 
in  the  closet,  in  the  family,  in  the 
social  circle  and  in  the  great  congre- 
gation. It  is  one  of  the  first  exercises 
of  the  new-born  soul.  Acts  9:11.  It 
belongs  to  every  part  of  the  Christian 
life.  Stephen  entered  heaven  by  pray- 
er. He  who  believes  not  in  the  efficacy 
of  prayer  is  "  a  reed  shaken  with  the 
wind."  The  only  cure  for  such  uncer- 
tainty is  found  in  the  promises  of  God 
and  the  examples  of  Scripture.  Let 
this  matter  be  unalterably  settled. 
6 


82  PROMISES   OF   GOD. 

4.  It  is  not  wise  for  Christians  to 
harass  themselves  respecting  the  future 
events  of  life.  We  know  not  what 
shall  be  on  the  morrow.  The  afflic- 
tions that  befall  good  men  are  com- 
monly such  as  they  could  by  no  pos- 
sibility anticipate.  Each  day  will 
bring  with  it  sufficient  cares  and  du- 
ties without  our  conjuring  up  others. 
In  all  cases  it  is  our  wisdom  to  obey  the 
Scripture  :  "  Trust  in  the  Lord,  and  do 
good ;  so  shalt  thou  dwell  in  the  land, 
and  verily  thou  shalt  be  fed.  Delight 
thyself  also  in  the  Lord ;  and  he  shall 
give  thee  the  desires  of  thine  heart. 
Commit  thy  way  unto  the  Lord  ;  trust 
also  in  him ;  and  he  shall  bring  it  to 
pass.  And  he  shall  bring  birth  thy 
righteousness  as  the  light ;  and  thy 
judgment  as  the  noonday."  Ps.  37 : 3-6. 


PROMISES   OF   GOD.  83 

5.  We  cannot  be  too  guarded  against 
unbelief  in  every  shape  and  degree. 
Total  unbelief  is  the  ruin  of  the  world. 
Partial  unbelief  is  the  bane  of  piety. 
The  just  live  by  faith,  and  walk  by 
faith.  What  we  all  most  want  is  not 
fewer  trials,  afflictions  or  temptations, 
but  stronger  faith.  In  a  letter  to  his 
aged  mother,  Dr.  Alexander  says, 
"  The  great  secret  of  true  comfort 
lies  in  a  single  word,  Trust."  "  Cast 
your  burdens  on  the  Lord,  and  he 
will  sustain  "  them.  If  your  evidences 
of  being  in  the  favor  of  God  are  ob- 
scured, if  you  are  doubtful  of  your 
acceptance  with  him,  still  go  directly 
to  him  by  faith  ;  that  is,  trust  in  his 
mercy  and  in  Christ's  merits.  Rely 
simply  on  his  word  of  promise.  Be 
not    afraid  to    exercise    confidence. 


84  PROMISES  OF   GOD. 

There  can  be  no  deception  in  depend- 
ing entirely  on  the  word  of  God.  It 
is  not  presumption  to  trust  in  Him 
when  he  has  commanded  us  to  do  so. 
We  dishonor  him  by  our  fearfulness 
and  want  of  confidence.  We  thus 
call  in  question  his  faithfulness  and 
his  goodness.  O  u  stagger  not  at  any 
promise  of  God  through  unbelief." 
Jacob  was  a  great  and  good  man, 
might}?-  in  prayer,  and  a  prophet  of 
God.  And  yet  even  he  misinterpreted 
God's  dealings  with  him:  "  Joseph 
is  not,  and  Simeon  is  not,  and  ye  will 
take  Benjamin  away ;  all  these  things 
are  against  me."  Gen.  42  :  36.  But 
the  good  man  lived  to  see  that  this 
was  an  utter  mistake.  "  What  thou 
knowest  not  now,  thou  shalt  know 
hereafter." 


PROMISES   OF   GOD.  85 

6.  Saints  are  better  off  than  sinners. 
The  very  principles  of  the  divine 
government  which  make  wrath  cer- 
tain to  the  wicked,  make  blessedness 
sure  to  the  righteous.  "  Whatsoever 
a  man  soweth  that  shall  he  also  reap. 
For  he  that  soweth  to  his  flesh, 
shall  of  the  flesh  reap  corruption. 
But  he  that  soweth  to  the  Spirit,  shall, 
of  the  Spirit,  reap  life  everlasting." 
Gal.  6 :  7,  8.  In  showing  his  upright- 
ness, God  will  surely  effect  deliver- 
ance for  his  people,  and  as  surely  put 
down  his  enemies. 

7.  A  great  end  of  the  promises  of 
God  is  to  purify  the  hearts  of  his  peo- 
ple. So  teach  both  Paul  and  Peter. 
The  Apostle  to  the  Gentiles,  having 
recited  to  the  Corinthians  some  of 
God's  gracious   offers   and    engage- 


86  PROMISES   OF   GOD. 

merits,  says,  "  Having  therefore  these 
promises,  dearly  beloved,  let  us 
cleanse  ourselves  from  all  filthiness 
of  the  flesh  and  spirit,  perfecting  holi- 
ness in  the  fear  of  God."  2  Cor.  7:1. 
And  Peter  says,  that  there  "are 
given  unto  us  exceeding  great  and 
precious  promises  ;  that  by  these  ye 
might  be  partakers  of  the  divine 
nature,  having  escaped  the  corruption 
that  is  in  the  world  through  lust." 
2  Pet.  1:4.  It  is  one  of  the  horrid 
abuses  of  sound  doctrine  and  of  pre- 
cious promises  by  Antinomians,  that 
they  take  the  glorious  things  of  God 
and  make  them  at  least  an  apology 
for  sin.  Yea,  some  of  them  make 
Christ,  himself,  the  minister  of  sin ; 
denying  that  holiness  is  an  evidence 
of  acceptance;    contending  that   sin 


PROMISES   OF  GOD.  87 

can  in  no  way  damage  God's  chosen 
people,  and  that  to  question  our  faith 
is  to  question  God's  veracity.  All 
such  errors  are  to  be  abhorred. 

8.  All  the  promises  would  come 
short  of  the  necessities  of  God's 
people  if  they  contained  no  assurance 
of  a  state  of  blessedness  beyond  this  life. 
But,  thanks  to  his  name,  there  is  "  a 
promise  left  us  of  entering  into  his 
rest."  "  This  is  the  promise  that  he 
hath  promised  us,  even  eternal  life." 
1  Jno.  2  :  25.  Heavenly  bliss  is  ex- 
pressed in  a  variety  of  forms.  Our 
best  conceptions  of  it  are  poor  and 
imperfect.  This  results  in  part  from 
our  unbelief.  To  Nicodemus  Christ 
said,  "  If  I  have  told  you  earthly 
things,  and  ye  believed  not,  how  shall 
ye  believe  if  I  tell  you   of  heavenly 


88  PROMISES   OF  GOD. 

things  ?"  Jno.  3:12.  But  it  results  also 
from  the  exceeding"  glory  of  celestial 
objects.  Even  Paul,  when  he  came 
back  from  his  wonderful  visions,  could 
give  us  no  better  account  than  this  : 
"  I  heard  unspeakable  words  which  it 
is  not  lawful  for  a  man  to  utter."  2  Cor. 
12:4.  We  have  no  experience  to 
enable  us  to  understand  what  eye  has 
not  seen,  what  ear  has  not  heard,  and 
what  the  heart  of  man  has  not  con- 
ceived. 

9.  Christ  is  every  thing.  It  is  in  him 
that  the  promises  are  Yea  and  Amen. 
Without  that  confirmation  we  could 
not  rely  upon  them  as  we  now  do ; 
for  he  is  not  only  our  surety  to  God, 
but  he  is  God's  image  to  us.  How 
precious  are  the  predictions  respect- 
ing him  !  "  A  man  shall  be  as  a  hiding 


PROMISES  OF  GOD.  89 

place  from  the  wind,  and  a  covert  from 
the  tempest ;  as  rivers  of  water  in  a  dry 
place,  as  the  shadow  of  a  great  rock 
in  a  weary  land."  Isa.  32  :  2.  "  Who- 
soever shall  confess  that  Jesus  is  the 
Son  of  God,  God  dwelleth  in  him,  and 
he  in  God."  1  Jno.  4:15.  Let  all 
saints  unite  in  saying,  "  Blessed  be  the 
God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  who  hath  blessed  us  with  all 
spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly  places 
in  Christ:  according  as  he  hath 
chosen  us  in  him  before  the  founda- 
tion of  the  world,  that  we  should 
be  holy  and  without  blame  before 
him  in  love  :  according  to  the  riches 
of  his  grace;  wherein  he  hath 
abounded  towards  us  in  all  wisdom 
and  prudence."  Eph.  1  :  3,  4,  7,  8. 
GLORY  BE  TO   GOD. 


V 


90  PROMISES  OF   GOD. 


HYMN. 

How  firm  a  foundation,  ye  saints  of  the  Lord, 
Is  laid  for  your  faith  in  his  excellent  word  ! 
What  more  can  he  say  than  to  you  he  hath  said, 
You,  who  unto  Jesus  for  refuge  have  fled  ? 

In  ever)'-  condition,  in  sickness,  in  health, 
In  poverty's  vale,  or  abounding  in  wealth, 
At  home  and  abroad,  on  the  land,  on  the  sea, 
"As  thy  days  may  demand,  shall  thy  strength 
ever  be. 

"  Fear  not,  I  am  with  thee,  O  !  be  not  dismayed, 
I,  I  am  thy  God,  and  will  still  give  thee  aid  ; 
I'll  strengthen  thee,  help  thee,  and  cause  thee  to 

stand, 
Upheld  by  my  righteous,  omnipotent  hand. 

14  When  through  the  deep  waters  I  call  thee  to  go, 
The  rivers  of  woe  shall  not  thee  overflow  ; 
For  I  will  be  with  thee,  thy  troubles  to  bless, 
And  sanctify  to  thee,  thy  deepest  distress. 

"  When  through  fiery  trials  thy  pathway  shall  lie, 
My  grace,  all-sufficient,  shall  be  thy  supply  ; 
The  flames  shall  not  hurt  thee  ;  I  only  design 
Thy  dross  to  consume,  and  thy  gold  to  refine. 


PROMISES  OF   GOD.  91 

"  E'en  down  to  old  age,  all  my  people  shall  prove 
My  sovereign,  eternal,  unchangeable  love  ; 
And  when  hoary  hairs  shall  their  temples  adorn, 
Like  lambs  they  shall  still  in  my  bosom  be  borne. 

"  The  soul  that  on  Jesus  hath  leaned  for  repose, 

I  will  not,  I  will  not  desert  to  his  foes  ; 

That  soul,  though  all  hell  should  endeavor  to 

shake, 
I'll  never,  no  never,  no  never  forsake." 

HE  IS  FAITHFUL  THAT   PROMISED. 


DATE  DUE 

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GAVLORD 

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mmiMm 


